Questions regarding computer-specific terms and jargon. Make sure you show research effort and that your question can be objectively answered.
1
vote
2answers
28 views
Name for time period between boot and shutdown (login/logout is to “session” like boot/shutdown is to ???)
The time between login and logout is called a "user session", "login session" or simply "session". Is there a similar specific name for an OS "session", i.e. the period of time between boot and ...
-1
votes
1answer
28 views
What is the proper terminology for computer/laptop casing hieroglyphs? [closed]
On the back of my laptop there are engraved images. There is one that represents the hard drive and looks like 3 discs stacked on top of each other. There is another for my battery, and it looks ...
1
vote
2answers
39 views
Does external HDD RAID closure exists not primarily for portability?
Is there such a class of hardware in which you can install multiple HDDs set up as RAID, while the unit maintains their ventilation and power consumption, independently of a computer?
External HDD ...
3
votes
4answers
450 views
Is DLL executable?
Question of terminology and classification.
Is DLL an "executable file"?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Executable
1
vote
1answer
366 views
SSD, SD, eMMC, Raw NAND what are the differences?
so the underlying technology with SSD, eMMC, SD, USB Flash etc... is NAND flash correct? So is the difference between all of them just the way controllers are implemented? Or are the technologies ...
25
votes
5answers
1k views
What does it mean for software to run natively?
I've been wondering what it means for software to run natively. What exactly is such software and how is it different from software that does not run natively? How can I tell if a given peice of ...
0
votes
2answers
94 views
What is ecosystem in IT world? [closed]
I am an IT engineer and I've been asked a few days ago a question on which I was unable to answer. I've started looking on the Internet for it, and unfortunately I didn't find anything.
The friend of ...
27
votes
4answers
2k views
What exactly is VGA, and what is the difference between it and a video card?
Operating system development tutorials pinpoint reaching screen data by writing directly to VGA or EGA or Super VGA, but what I do not get is what is the real difference between writing to a fixed ...
17
votes
8answers
1k views
What's the meaning of “foo”? [closed]
I've been here around 4 months and several times I saw that people use foo but I don't know what it means. I would like others to explain me about this variable...
Why is it important? How do I use ...
13
votes
3answers
530 views
Is there a name for the text that shows up at the front of each command in a CLI
For example, in Ubuntu when I start up a terminal, it says:
username@computer:~$
And in Windows:
C:\Users\Username>
Is there a formal way to refer to that text?
Thanks in advance!
0
votes
0answers
37 views
“Thermal Delay” Cooling
I was wondering if someone can define the term Thermal Delay for me?
I got the basics, but I cant really seem to find a solid and trustworthy website too fill out the holes in my knowledge.
0
votes
3answers
48 views
What's the correct term for this network connection? [closed]
What is the correct general term for the network connection on mobile devices that can connect to networks via telecoms links?
Question asked "my device is not connecting to my local web server ...
2
votes
1answer
723 views
What are 'Toasts' or 'Toast Notifications' in Windows 8?
I have seen the term 'Toast' used in the Windows 8 context. I have also seen them referred to as 'Toast Notifications'.
What exactly are 'Toasts' in Windows 8?
2
votes
1answer
112 views
What is the difference between “load” and “fetch”?
I often encounter the words load and fetch in contexts where data are being read from some source, and they seem to have slightly different meanings. What's the difference?
I've done some research ...
2
votes
1answer
444 views
How does uploading a file actually work?
Uploading is described as transferring a file(s) like photo, audio file etc. to a server on the web. I wonder a couple of things how uploading occurs as network/communication means. For example, when ...
3
votes
2answers
410 views
Terminology used for CPU/Processors
Suppose a system has 4 Intel Xeon processors
each having 10 physical cores
with HyperThreading enabled which makes a total of 80 cores
Now it is completely confusing when in documentation they start ...
50
votes
6answers
6k views
What is the correct term for the mouse pointer/nipple/joystick thingy in the middle of a laptop's keyboard?
I want to call it a "mouse nipple" or maybe a "joystick", although I know these are not correct.
It's different from the touchpad, which is below the keyboard and has dedicated click buttons. ...
0
votes
1answer
123 views
What is “Virtual Single-Channel”?
As seen below (Figure 1), I have two 512MB sticks in alternate slots (one channel) and a 1GB stick in one of the remaining slots (a different channel). This is on an Asus P4P800.
When I boot, it says ...
2
votes
2answers
549 views
What is the difference between RTM, GA and GOLD versions?
I am absolutely puzzled here:
What is the difference between RTM, GA(Gerneral Availability) and final GOLD version?
For example for Windows 8:
RTM - Microsoft sends this version to ASUS, Acer, ...
1
vote
0answers
23 views
How is it called when audio streaming “freezes” or “stucks”?
How is it called when streaming (e.g. FireWire streaming) of video or audio stucks (or freezes) after about 10 minutes and I need to reset the streaming process (or reset the FireWire bus) to make it ...
0
votes
2answers
55 views
What is a CFM-based application?
When reading up about Mac OS X Kerberos Extras while trying to get Kerberos working, I came across the phrase 'CFM-based application'. What does this mean?
0
votes
1answer
1k views
What's the difference between a console, terminal and command-line? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the difference between shell, console, and terminal?
My non-tech-savvy friends unanimously agree that console refers to hardware and terminal refers to software.
...
0
votes
2answers
74 views
Linux terms a newbie should know about [closed]
I'm new to Linux, particularly the distributions I'm using - Ubuntu and openSUSE.
I've looked on the Internet for how to install software on these operating systems, but I can't seem to understand ...
4
votes
3answers
725 views
What do we mean by mounting a filesystem?
I am new to filesystems and trying to understand mounting.
Is it something like adding a node in tree?
4
votes
4answers
27k views
Is there a way to stream wirelessly from a laptop to a TV?
I heard of such a thing like a box or a media player such thing that can connect wirelessly to stream movies from my laptop?
Is there such a thing that can do it? How is the latency on it? I have ...
1
vote
1answer
125 views
What's a dual core? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Can someone clear up the terms Core Duo CPU, Quad Core, Dual CPU, etc.?
Does "core" mean CPU or memory or both?
I'm thinking of buying a new computer. But ...
7
votes
3answers
2k views
What is a dongle used for?
I saw the word "dongle" while reading, but what does it do? Why would you want to have one on your system?
8
votes
4answers
2k views
What differences are between firmware and software/OS?
I was wondering what differences are
between firmware and software?
What differences are
between firmware and OS?
Are boot-loaders firmware? Bios is.
How about GNU grub? Is grub software or firmware?
...
2
votes
2answers
315 views
Bits of CPU, architecture and OS
I was wondering if the bits of OS, of
instruction set, of CPU registers,
of data bus from CPU to memory, and of
address bus from CPU to memory must
be consistent in some sense and how?
When we cay ...
1
vote
0answers
175 views
Is there a list with of commonly used computer terms and their meaning in laymen's words? [closed]
Exactly as the title states, I'm looking for a (preferably commonly updated and 'complete') list of commonly used computer terms defined in laymen's terms. Specifically, I would like to know what the ...
2
votes
3answers
438 views
Term used for a motherboard without integrated audio or video
I'm trying to look for motherboards without any bells and whistles (audio and video) in order to build an Audio Production workstation.
Is there any special keyword I can use in my research that ...
5
votes
3answers
2k views
What is a router? What is a switch? and What is a hub?
I always mess up with the basic concepts in networking. This are the very basic questions.
What is a router, its functions and what is meant by routing?
What is a switch, its functions? Many time I ...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
RFC 2068 statement about HTTP
In RFC 2068, it states, "[HTTP] is a generic, stateless, object-oriented protocol which can be used for many tasks, such as name servers and distributed object management systems, through extension of ...
1
vote
2answers
622 views
What Exactly is a Threaded Web Server?
I would like to know what a threaded web server is?
I have performed many searches but am unable to find anything that gives a clear explanation or definition.
7
votes
4answers
222 views
What does COM object mean?
What is it? As I understood it's a kind of Microsoft special technology for some objects. But what exactly?
-1
votes
3answers
288 views
How is it called when listening(connecting) two sockets and exchanging data between them? [closed]
There is more then one way to do simple TCP proxy.
socat tcp-l:1234 tcp:1.2.3.4:1234 is "relay" or "port forwarder" (if I am right).
How to call socat tcp-l:1234 tcp-l:1235 and socat ...
0
votes
4answers
1k views
“Stable” operating system - what does it mean exactly?
I've been using Linux for more than 2 years now, and I'm a satisfied user. I started with Ubuntu, then switched to Fedora and now I'm fond of Linux Mint.
Linux is often described as "stable". I have ...
5
votes
2answers
233 views
What kinds of Windows documentation for sysadmins are available? [closed]
I'm interested in structured, authoritative documentation for Windows (7, Vista and XP). No click-here click-there guides, but terse technical documentation which defines terms. What kinds thereof ...
3
votes
3answers
4k views
What is the meaning of dual core vs. dual cpus?
What is the difference between multiple CPU processors (ie: Pentium D) and multicore processors (ie: Core 2 duo)?
10
votes
7answers
2k views
How to name/describe the Windows 7 Start Button?
When troubleshooting trivial problems via phone, I'm often in this situation:
Me: Click on the Start Button
Other: What button?
Me: sigh The blue circle on the lower left with the windows logo on it
...
12
votes
1answer
27k views
What does “LFF SATA” mean?
I've heard of SATA, but "LFF SATA" as listed on HP's specs page is a new one for me. What does the "LFF" bit mean?
5
votes
3answers
783 views
What kind of device receives wireless signal and provides wired output?
My wife uses an old computer which doesn't really like having an Internet connection via a USB wireless adapter. I've tried several, and none have been satisfactory. The connection gets dropped ...
1
vote
2answers
128 views
Harddrive 9 in 1 capacity? What does that mean?
I have to define some stuff for my operating systems class based on a computer ad, and it says the hard disk capacity is "9-in-1." What does that mean?
6
votes
6answers
884 views
What does etc stand for/mean?
In most (all?) *nix systems there's a directory named /etc, what does etc stand for?
2
votes
2answers
125 views
What is the name of this component?
I was wondering what the name of the 5th component was.
Dell 1747 Studio 17
4
votes
9answers
6k views
What is the difference between CPU and Microprocessor?
What is the difference between CPU and Microprocessor?
1
vote
5answers
293 views
What happened to the term motherboard? [closed]
I'm on Dell Support and they seem to constantly refer to the motherboard as a mainboard or a logicboard. Seems like a strange shift in usage to me.
What happened?
5
votes
3answers
2k views
What does it mean to “align” partitions?
I am familiar with what partitions are, but I saw a question about aligned partitions on Ask Ubuntu, and realised I didn't know what "aligned partitions" are.
So what does it mean to "align" ...
2
votes
1answer
1k views
“bus speed”, “rated bus speed”, “stock bus speed”
I was wondering what are differences between "bus speed", "rated bus speed", "stock bus speed"?
I saw in Speccy running on my laptop:
Bus Speed 200.0 MHz
Rated Bus Speed 800.1 MHz
Stock ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
When using 'bash' or 'ksh', is there any alternative name for '\' when connecting lines?
Two lines can be linked together as a unit using '\' (which is a somewhat arbitrarily chosen character). Accordingly both are parsed together. What do you call the linking character. I know that ...
